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While Freeform was always free, I distinctly remember buying iWork as boxed software for my mac and paying for them every couple of years, and then even buying for them on the App Store for my iPad .

They went free for everyone in 2017.

So
does this mean they are actually going to make useful updates? It feels like they have abandoned all these products anyways

No, it just means they will nag you.
 
I just to say that I really don't like paying for software as a subscription. I think Microsoft first called it software as a service many years ago. I still prefer the buy once model. I also thought Pages, Numbers, and Keynote were free.
 
Outside the Apple world their office apps are virtually useless because too limited (in both their features and their compatibility with the only standard that matters, unfortunately: Microsoft).
Nonetheless, since my personal spreadsheets and documents didn't need to be very complicated, and most importantly, to be shared with anyone else, I had started using Numbers and Pages instead of LibreOffice.
I'll have to revert to LibreOffice.
Why? You can still use them AND they'll continue to receive updates. you just won't get access to free high quality images (which you didn't have access to before).
 
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It's been a while and I know the demographic here changes often… So I wonder how many people even know that Apple removed a bunch of features from apps like pages and numbers, in order to make them function the same between iOS versions of the app and desktop versions. A lot of those features have never made it back into the desktop version of the app. It was very disappointing. If I had to guess I would say even with this subscription, you're still not getting back a lot of of the features that used to exist that a lot of people don't even know about. Numbers in particular definitely used to be much more useful with more features.
 
I. Hate. Subscriptions.

Apple’s greed seems to know no end.

It's not really greed, it's capitalism, which is the current broadly-accepted business model.

The pricing is not outrageous, but it does add more pressure to consumers when they have to juggle paying for dozens and dozens of subscriptions.

I guess this was inevitable, but it's a sad day to see Apple caving to this approach.
 
I just to say that I really don't like paying for software as a subscription. I think Microsoft first called it software as a service many years ago. I still prefer the buy once model. I also thought Pages, Numbers, and Keynote were free.
They still are free. They're just adding a premium tier with some more AI features and access to a library of high quality images (something you'd now pay for outside of the app if you wanted it)
 
I am confused by this decision. I cannot see what would entice anyone to subscribe.

Also, how popular is iWork? I doubt it is popular and this move will make people ignore ot completely now. I want to use it, but everyone uses Office. I know documents can be converted from iWork to Office, but I don’t need to do this if I just use Office.
 
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This is just like adobe. Nope I will not do this. I would say some choice words but this website doesn't allow it. I'll wait for these to come out on other providers. This probably means OSX is not free anymore coming soon.
 
I can probably live without the new features. These were never my main go to apps, although I used them occasionally. I actually worked a lot in the original final cut and Apple really screwed it up, which is when they lost me. Still, I bought them all. I think they may be overestimating the demand for some of their apps. I hate Adobe, but my work still depends on it. Can no longer say the same for final cut. The pixelmator pisses me off, though. And I say this as a loyal Apple guy.

Then again, this seems to be the way of the world. I have been paying for the NIK PLUG-INS SINCE THAT COMPANY WAS FOUNDED. GOOGLE EVENTUALLY BOUGHT IT AND MADE THEM FREE AND NOW DXO FORCES YOU TO UPDATE THEM EVERY YEAR OR TWO. Sorry for the caps. That was an iPhone glitch and I don’t feel like redoing it.

I don’t think this is a good idea, especially since the overall economy is not great right now. I’m not talking about the ridiculous stock market. But a lot of people appreciated getting the basic apple apps for free. And I guess if you don’t want some ******** AI content, they still will be.
 
It's been a while and I know the demographic here changes often… So I wonder how many people even know that Apple removed a bunch of features from apps like pages and numbers, in order to make them function the same between iOS versions of the app and desktop versions. A lot of those features have never made it back into the desktop version of the app. It was very disappointing. If I had to guess I would say even with this subscription, you're still not getting back a lot of of the features that used to exist that a lot of people don't even know about. Numbers in particular definitely used to be much more useful with more features.

Yup! I remember that pain in Pages! The features that were removed eventually came back, but it took way too long! Just needed text blocks to flow from one page to the next, and that was one features that was temporarily removed. It was a huge setback for my productivity.
 
So, going forward, will you not get a free version of iWork, iMovie, Freeform, and Garage Band when you purchase a new Mac, iPad, or iPhone? I wonder what that will do to hardware sales? Apple might be stepping over dollars to pick-up dimes.

From what I have gathered from the (not very clearly written) article, it will stay the same for those who don't need AI features (and possibly premium stock stuff, which have never been included as freemium anyway).
 
For all of you that have been declaring that a 30% commission was too high for developers are you in even the smallest way surprised this is happening? Apple is a business, & they are in business to make money for their shareholders. I’ve seen this coming since Epic sued Apple.
 
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For all of you that have been declaring that a 30% commission was too high for developers are you in even the smallest way surprised this is happening? Apple is a business, & they are in business to make money for their shareholders. I’ve seen this coming since Epic sued Apple.

I hear ya John.

I think they should start charging for OS updates also.
 
From what I have gathered from the (not very clearly written) article, it will stay the same for those who don't need AI features (and possibly premium stock stuff, which have never been included as freemium anyway).
Thanks for the clarification. I added to my earlier post to point out that IMHO a productivity suite without some basic AI integration is going to be almost useless in a few years. Just my view of where this is going.
 
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